Personal computers are generally comprised of three physical components. First, there is the main computer system unit which holds most of the computer operation internals, such as power supply, circuit boards and drive units. A keyboard is used for data entry and a display screen or monitor is provided for the display of data. This arrangement is, of course, well known.
In an effort to minimize the desk surface area required for a personal computer, the system units have been placed on the floor next to desks or tables. In that configuration, the system units are generally rectangular boxes and are designed to stand with the longest axis in the vertical direction on the floor. These systems are called "tower units".
Guide rails are presently being used for removably positioning drive units in both the typical desk top computer unit and the tower unit. These drive units include disk drives, hard drives, tape drives and other conventional drive units.
A prior art L-shaped guide rail comprises a vertical member and a horizontal member. The guide rail horizontal members slide on support members extending inwardly in the frame of the computer unit. Abutment members having a hole therein are provided on one end of the guide rails. The abutment member extends outwardly from the guide rail a sufficient distance to engage the front of the frame. The abutment member holes were aligned with bores in the frame to receive screws to hold the drive unit in the frame. The screws are threaded in the frame by use of a conventional screw driver.
A known quick release guide rail includes an elongated plastic member having holes for attachment of the rail to a drive unit. One end of the plastic elongated member includes a generally U-shaped resilient portion. The plastic elongated member is received into a metal channel that is in turn attached to the computer unit frame. Each leg of the U-shaped member has an outwardly facing protuberance. Each protuberance is received into slots in the metal channel. When the two legs of the U-shaped member were pressed together the protuberances clear their respective slots to allow the attached drive unit to slide along the channel for removal from the computer unit. This guide rail therefore includes two components and generally requires two hands to remove the drive unit with the pulling force on the plastic U-member since one hand is used to press the U-shaped member legs together.
It would be desirable to reduce manufacturing costs by using the existing frame with additional D-shaped slots and a one-piece rail member for positively maintaining a drive unit with the frame that could be quickly released.